Infatuation
‘In our body, not outside.’ I have taken the importance of the body as my topic for Dhamma talks many times and in many places, as well as in Sri Lanka, on a few occasions. It would seem that people don’t like to hear the truth of their own body, to understand its true, inner nature. I notice that only a few who were here last week, when I first undertook this topic, have come this week. The same thing has happened elsewhere. If we talk about loving-kindness, in- and out- breathing, jhanas and some pleasant conditions of jhana, people like it. However, it is important to ask ourselves what was it that the Buddha was preaching and expounding at the very beginning when he first talked about the Four Noble Truths to the ascetic monks? They were unpleasant things, not pleasant things. Out of these Four Noble Truths the agreeable, desirable, and pleasurable truth is the cessation of suffering. That is, Nibbana. However, Buddha did not talk about Nibbana at first. To begin with the Buddha took up the suffering of all beings – jati dukkha; the suffering of birth, the suffering of decay, the suffering of death. So the negative things were raised at first. Then, after enabling the seeing and understanding of the cause of these unpleasurable and disagreeable things, Buddha pointed out how the cause should be cut off. It is a method explained and expounded in the Dhamma. For example, it is a tendency of our mind to be devious, envious or cynical; it is automatic, habitual, we cannot stop it. Defilements such as greed and hatred just rise and rise uncontrollably; we don’t like them because they are unwholesome and unmeritorious. Desire and craving are defilements common to us all. We have to cut them off. The Buddha has realised and expounded the easiest way to cut off these things. Just contemplate on the body, ‘in our body, not outside’. When we just contemplate on the impurities of the body, then, we can destroy and cut off that concept of self, that greediness for our own body and life. But we do not like to cut off, to eradicate so completely something that we desire. Therefore we don’t like to practise that contemplation on the impurities of the body.
Today we can further strive to understand our imperfections, our attachments to self that we need to eradicate. In the Vatthupana Sutta in the Majjhima Nikaya we can find16 types of imperfections, of opakkalesa – obstacles. These obstacles hinder us. They prevent us from realising the truth. Among these 16 kinds of imperfections, there is one imperfection called mada, which means infatuation or intoxication. When infatuation is present in our minds our minds are dark and hindered from seeing clearly. We cannot see the true nature and we cannot understand the wholesome and unwholesome, meritorious and the unmeritorious. Why we might ask? We are in the darkness of infatuation. Jati mada is the intoxication with birth, sometimes with caste. People think, ‘I am in a good birth, I am in a high birth, and I am in a high-caste birth. So others are low caste, they have been born into low birth. Therefore I am a superior person.’ So in that way that infatuation regarding birth rises in the mind. For such a person it is very difficult to practise Dhamma because the mind is hindered and intoxicated. These imperfections, these obstacles, this intoxicating nature, needs to be understood so that we can cut it off, break it up, otherwise we cannot have the light of the Dhamma to proceed in Dhamma practice.
Then, secondly, we can see gotta mada, which means infatuation of race. ‘I belong to this race, this community, this group of people. I belong to this country, this group of highly respected people. I am, therefore, a highly respected person.’ So by just thinking of the gotta, the race, the group, people become infatuated, intoxicated. Such a person cannot proceed in Dhamma practice because mind is dark, mind is not pure, it is obstructed. We can see an example of intoxication when people are intoxicated by taking liquor. They can be infatuated or a drunkard for a few hours, sometimes a whole day, sometimes a day and night, sometimes even longer. However, jati mada, the intoxication of life, birth and caste, doesn’t end within a day but over weeks, months, sometimes over many, many years it stays in the mind of a person.
And thirdly we can see ārogyi mada, infatuation or intoxication with health. Understanding that intoxicating nature we have to just cut it off, break it down, Otherwise we cannot have that light of the Dhamma to proceed in Dhamma practice. Because of health and good looks people become infatuated and think that other human beings are lesser, because they are unhealthy, they are sick, they get many serious kinds of illness. ‘But fortunately for me I am completely pure and free of these bad conditions. I am a very healthy, good-looking person and I don’t spend my money on medicine.’ The person with an infatuation with health cannot proceed, because with that infatuation the mind is hindered and darkened.
Fourthly, we have yobbana mada. That is, infatuation with youth. Some young people are uncontrollable and ill-advised because they don’t like to take advice and instructions from others, even from their own parents and teachers. They don’t like to be advised as they like to live in their own way. Because of yobbana mada they think they can just continue their life, they can just run their life, in these conditions. In that case they cannot see the truth. They just have to break up and cut off that yobbana mada in the mind, that infatuation of mind, that fault.
Then fifth we have jivita mada, infatuation with life. People think, ‘I have been born into this good birth, this human birth. I am a human being so I can live a long time, at least 50 or 60 years and another 20 – even longer. I have a good understanding of my birth and expect a long life.’ We can see by their conversations that most people are in this condition and that these thoughts dominate their mind. It is a kind of infatuation called jivita mada.
Then the sixth one is lābha mada. Sometimes people possess a great deal of material wealth in income and property, and their houses and vehicles reflect that wealth because they are expensive, attractive, and of good quality. Because of that wealth and property and sometimes because of gifts from others their understanding is hindered by lābha mada, intoxication with gain or wealth. For a person possessed of that infatuation, proceeding in Dhamma practice cannot take place. Thus we need to develop understanding so that we can be careful. We should not allow these infatuations to come to rise in our hearts. The one thing that we should practise in order to understand those subtle facts, those subtle conditions we have in our mind is mindfulness, sati. When we are with mindfulness in our own body, in our own mind, then we can understand that this is the enemy in the mind. This is infatuation. This is imperfection that hinders, that becomes an obstacle, and these are the things that allow us to understand and proceed and go forward in Dhamma practice. When we are aware then we can understand.
Then we have sakkāra mada. This is another mada, another infatuation of gain, this time of gain of offerings. Sometimes people are made many presentations or offerings. Monks especially must be aware of this mada. Continuously lay people come with offerings, especially of the four requisites, and young monks come to pay their respects. A monk thus can gain that infatuation of sakkāra mada, that infatuation of gaining presents. In the case of lay people, sometimes on important birthdays and anniversaries, an intoxication of offerings can occur. If a person is well liked many people will come and make valuable presentations. Because of those presentations, that person may have the intoxication of offerings – lābhasakkāra mada.
The next one is garukāra mada, intoxication of respect from others. This infatuation is evident among both lay people and monks. In a country such as Australia, it is impossible to perceive who is respected and venerated by others, as terms of address are very informal. Mr., Mrs, Sir, etc are rarely used as it is considered that everybody is the same level. In some Asian countries and in England and other European countries we can find garukāra mada because people must use terms of respect when they address others. In India and Sri Lanka we must put some respectful and relevant term before a person’s name. Because of these forms of address, both monks and lay people can think that others are respecting them, venerating them. Thus, garukāra mada, infatuation of respect, arises in the mind. In that condition we cannot proceed in Dhamma practice. Just understand and give attention to that particular point. We must cut it off.
Then there is a kind of infatuation called purekkhāra, the infatuation of putting in front. In society there are some people and monks who have a very good knowledge about many different things, sometimes they are experts, sometimes they are very skilled organisers. These very reasonable and skilful people with their depth of understanding are often respected and asked by others for instruction, advice and help. It can be easy for that person to elevate him/herself a little in the belief that they are in a special position. That is intoxication of purekkhāra, purekkāre mada, of all the time putting one-self in front as others have put you in front. We must be careful because when we help others with our knowledge, behind that knowledge, behind that service, another imperfection could follow and just cut off the rendering of service to others. Sometimes, at the very first, the mind will be so white and so pure. But after some time when people give respect and more respect, the mind becomes darker and darker and becomes unwholesome. That is the result of the respect from others. We can see this with many monks because people come to have instructions from the monks about Dhamma. It doesn’t matter if the monks are young or older they can have the infatuation of respect, the putting in front. ‘People and monks come to me because I am a knowledgeable person. That is why they come. I am the head person in this place, at this point, in this case.’
The tenth infatuation is parivāra mada. Parivāra mada is in regard to retinue and groups of people, of companions. When you go to work and start to organise a project, helpers or assistants are supposed to just come to you for instructions. All the time you have a gathering of people, a group of helpers, a retinue of people to work with you. This group is called parivāra. Because of this retinue and group of companions you may develop an infatuation of parivāra or parivāra mada. Already we can see that many politicians have that infatuation of retinue; all the time people just follow them; all the time they are in front; all the time people are ready to help them and support them. They cannot understand for what purpose people help them. Sometimes they just help because they want something back from them for themselves. But the politician cannot understand. We have to be careful and understand that if today we have a retinue, tomorrow we’ll be alone. If this week we have many groups of people offering support, whether physically, verbally, or by providing things, next week there will be none. We should not believe in such a following as the people will leave us.
Then there is an intoxication of property, wealth or riches called bhoga mada. A person may think that because of their properties and wealth, and the many things they are able to enjoy as a result, they are not an ordinary person like other people. Sometimes monks also have this infatuation of wealth in the following ways. They think, for example, that they have a good temple for their use and practice, good robes, an expensive and beautiful bowl made in a specific country such as India or Sri Lanka or sometimes Europe, and whatever they wish will come to them. They think these conditions are a result of their power, their merit power, and that they are accordingly granted a high level of property, wealth or comfort. So they do not really care for others or understand them. They are hindered by that mada, the intoxication of bhoga. And defilements are defilements. It does not matter if the person is a monk or a layperson, or if the person is held in great respect. There is no difference. Defilements arise in the minds of all people. We must be careful to cut them off and not to allow these infatuations to rise in the mind. We must be mindful at all times.
Next is infatuation of the skin or the complexion, vanna mada, Some people compare their own skin favourably with others. They look at others who have a skin that is dark and marked, for example, and believe that their skin is beautiful and the result of good thoughts and actions in the past. They are giving credit to themselves for their skin and condemning others for their complexion. In that way, vanna mada arises in the heart. When one has that vanna mada one cannot proceed in Dhamma practice.
The next one is sutta mada. Sutta mada can come about when we have studied a great deal. We have attended a good school or university, perhaps Lulumba in India, perhaps we have a degree from Cambridge University or London University of which we are very proud. So we give ourselves status for our universities and elevate ourselves above others. Furthermore, we may consider ourselves more knowledgeable than others because we have studied for a long time and have become an expert in a subject or field. In that way we have sutta mada, intoxication of learning, intoxication of knowledge. We need to be careful as it is easy to see how sutta mada rises in the heart. Sometimes regarding Dhamma monks may have that sutta mada. ‘See! I have studied Abidhamma, I have studied Sutta, I have studied Vinaya. The others are only just ordinary monks and people. They know only a few things.’ So in that way, because of reading and discussing and learning sutta mada rises. It becomes an imperfection. A person cannot proceed in Dhamma practice.
Then follows the 14 th – patibhāna mada – an intoxication of understanding. We are knowledgeable people, quick to understand. But to some people we have to explain things again and again, over and over again, so that they can understand. In our case, with few words, with few points, we can quickly grasp the meaning. If we just open a book at the very beginning, we can understand the main point of the book. But other people are not like that. They have to read carefully and laboriously and they cannot understand. They have to discuss but still cannot understand sufficiently. They have to continue this process of reading and discussing so in that way they can eventually understand. But in our case we are very quick to grasp the meaning. This intoxication is called patibhāna mada, intoxication of understanding or knowledge. Because of that quick understanding, intoxication arises in the mind and becomes an obstacle. In that condition we cannot have the light of the Dhamma.
Many times the Buddha praised Venerable Sariputta. Venerable Sariputta was the complete arahant; his faculties, the good faculties of the mind were very highly developed, very superior. In the past he had practised the Dhamma and had completely understood the imperfections. Once a monk used some critical words about Venerable Sariputta and the Bhudda asked him to explain what had happened with that monk. Venerable Sariputta replied to the Buddha in humble and beautiful words without being at all critical. He did not compare himself favourably with that monk but remained humble. Venerable Sariputta had reached a very high level of understanding and knowledge in that Buddhasāsana. That is why he was named General of the Dhamma. We must be very careful not to allow that infatuation of understanding, the patibhāna mada, to rise and come into our minds. Then it becomes an obstacle, not to others, but to ourselves.
There is another intoxication called rattanu mada, intoxication of old age. When we talk with some old people in the villages we sense this sort of infatuation. They talk of the war in the past, how they had to live a certain way, how younger people cannot understand the difficulties of their lives, how they have experienced so many things in so many places and different countries. Perhaps they remember Hitler, perhaps they have been in the army, in the navy. When they talk this way, infatuation of old age arises in their hearts. This intoxication is very dangerous.
There are 27 infatuations in all, but no time! We can be intoxicated in the next life even! The Buddha has instructed us that when we see bad things we must restrain ourselves from those bad things. When we see good things we must have the intentions to practise these good things. They are called varitta sila and caritta sila. When we see and understand, we can act. When we see the danger of things we just move away from these things; when we see the good things we just reach towards these good things. So in two ways we can practise Dhamma. To listen carefully to many different teachers on this subject is important. Then you can improve your knowledge of Dhamma. Then you yourself can understand what is Dhamma, what is wholesome, what is unwholesome.
